


Krewe of Kalos

by SgtLeppard



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Gen, Mardi Gras, Parades, everyone's a bit older, generally having fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 14:21:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10024520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SgtLeppard/pseuds/SgtLeppard
Summary: The gang detour back to Lumiose City, just in time for the biggest parade in the region.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ~~I don't care that it's now officially the first of the month. It's still the 28th to me~~
> 
> What can I say? Kalos is based off of France, Mardi Gras is a French tradition... You see where I'm going with this, right? :3c
> 
> I LOVE Mardi Gras! It is usually the most fun I have the entire year, and it's pretty much the only time where you can legally jaywalk in the middle of an intersection [or in my case, the middle of a normally busy interstate!]
> 
> Apologies in advance if I get something wrong
> 
> _Laissez les bons temps rouler!_

Ash yawned as he sat up in his sleeping bag. Not too long ago, he defeated Valerie at the Laverre City Gym. Trick Room was a very difficult move to beat, but he managed to do it. Afterwards, the group had decided that they should head to Anistar City for Ash's next gym challenge. However, at the moment, they were headed back to Lumiose City for what he assumed was a check-in with Meyer. It was fine by him in the end. The Anistar Gym wasn't going anywhere.

"Oh, you're awake!" Serena spoke, just finishing up her breakfast as Ash climbed out of his and Clemont's tent.

Ash nodded. "When did you get up?"

"About an hour ago," she answered. "Clemont made breakfast!"

"Awesome!"

As he ate his breakfast, Clemont was looking at a map in deep thought. Ever since leaving Dendemille Town, he'd been studying the map intensely. It was only a map of Lumiose City, which he should know like the back of his hand. It confused Ash, and he couldn't seem to figure out what was so important about it. Serena seemed to think so too. "Sweetie, what's with the map? You've been staring at it for a while now."

Clemont drew his gaze up to his companions. "I realised something along the way here."

"What is it?" Ash asked.

The gym leader adjusted his glasses. "If I'm correct, by the time we get back to Lumiose City, we just might make it in time for the Krewe of Kalos parade!"

Serena's eyes lit up, while Ash was still lost, but interested nonetheless. "Parade?"

\----------

The group packed up their equipment and continued on their way to Lumiose. Along the way, Clemont explained what he was talking about at breakfast.

"You see, the Kalos region is known for its Mardi Gras season and mystic societies, or krewes, as they're often called," he said. "Some of them are simply social clubs that hold annual balls around this time of year. They have an elected 'royal court', consisting of a king, queen, duke, duchess, and grand marshal."

"What about the other krewes?" Ash asked.

Clemont answered, "The other krewes not only do this, but hold a parade as well."

"Wow." Oh yeah. This definitely piqued Ash's interest. "How many krewes are there?"

"Way too many to count, if I'm honest," Clemont answered, "and there's probably some that I don't even know about. But those I do know of that hold parades are typically very fun to go to."

Serena chimed in, "At home in Vaniville, the Krewe of Highland parade is a hit with kids, and me and my mom would sometimes go up to Santalune City to catch the Centaur and Gemini parades." She sighed, "I've always wanted to go the Krewe of Kalos parade, but Mom was always too busy."

Ash chuckled, "Sounds like the Krewe of Kalos parade is really something, isn't it?"

"Definitely," Clemont replied. "In fact, the Krewe of Kalos is the biggest krewe in the entire region!"

Ash and Pikachu's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Pika."

Clemont nodded. "Dad always made it a point for us to go to the parade as a family each year. That's why I've been looking at the map a lot, figuring out the parade route. I had almost completely forgotten about it."

"Good thing you didn't," Ash commented. "I'd love to go to the parade!"

"Then let's get moving!"

\----------

About three hours and lots of running later, they finally made it to Lumiose City. "Ah!" Clemont panted. "Made it!"

"I hope we didn't miss it," Ash said.

"Oh, that's nothing to worry about," Clemont responded as he tried to catch his breath. "The parade doesn't roll until nighttime."

Ash looked out at the crowded streets, all blocked off from vehicular traffic. He had never been to a parade like this, and to see the sheer amount of people who came to see this particular parade was astounding. It made him wonder if these 'krewes' were a Kalos-only thing or if they existed in other regions. He could already imagine parades back home in Kanto. That would be a sight to see.

"So where should we wait for the parade, Clemont?" Serena asked.

"The route changes a bit every year," he answered. "I'd have to look at this year's route map to figure out the best spot to stand, and hope it's not overly crowded by the time we get there. The North Pokémon Center should have one."

"I just hope that spot by Autumnal Avenue is on the route," Bonnie groaned. "It's hard to find a good spot elsewise."

Clemont thought for a moment. "It usually is, but we won't know for sure until we look at the route map. Since the roads are blocked off, it'll be easier to walk in the street straight towards the Pokémon Center. Let's go!"

The group hopped over the barricade and began to make their way to the North Pokémon Center, weaving through large crowds of revelers. Lots of families had set up reserved spots for the parade, with several of them apparently having been there for some time. _So this is what the atmosphere is like at a big event like this,_ Ash thought. _This oughta be good!_

They had only been walking for about ten minutes when they heard the rumbling of an ATV behind them. "I was hoping you'd get here in time!" That voice. That could only be...

"Dad!"

"Daddy!"

Meyer laughed as he pulled up next to the group. "Now you see why I wanted you to stop by?"

"Thanks for reminding me!"

"Alright, everyone hop on!"

\----------

Ash took a big bite of a slice of cake he'd been given. "Wow! This is so good! What is this?"

"It's king cake," Serena answered, taking a bite of her own slice. "It's cinnamon swirl cake with icing on top, and the sprinkles are in Mardi Gras colours." She then pointed to each coloured part of the cake. "Traditionally, green symbolises faith, purple symbolises justice, and gold symbolises power."

Ash smiled, "You sure know a lot about this Mardi Gras thing."

The young performer shrugged. "It's mostly common knowledge in Kalos. I even heard that many people in the region have tried to get Mardi Gras Day recognised as a national holiday."

He thought about the crowded streets from before. "I'm surprised it isn't given that the roads are closed."

Serena giggled as she cut another slice of cake for Clemont for when he got back. "I hope I can catch a lot of stuff. It'll be amazing!"

Wait, back up. "Catch stuff?"

She looked confused for a moment, wondering what Ash was asking about. Then it hit her. "Oh, that's right! Every float in the parade throws beads, cups, and lots of other things to the crowds they pass by. If you pick a good spot on the route, you're bound to catch a lot!"

Pikachu nudged Ash's hand. "Pi pikachu pika!" it squeaked happily.

The trainer knew that look anywhere. "Heheh, you're right, buddy. I could catch some stuff to send home to my mom."

Serena smiled, "I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

A moment later, Clemont finally returned to the table. "It took a bit of scrounging, but I managed to find a spare map for this year's parade route."

"That's great!" Serena beamed as she handed the gym leader the slice she cut earlier, then gave him a small kiss on his cheek.

"And Autumnal Avenue is on the route!"

"Yay!" Bonnie cheered.

"Alright, so," Clemont began, pushing his glasses up, "the route starts here at this shuttle stop on South Boulevard." He pointed at the stop marked on the map, then traced the route as he continued. "It goes all the way down until it reaches Vernal Avenue, goes up to the central plaza, around Prism Tower and up Hibernal Avenue until North Boulevard. From there, it'll travel west towards Autumnal Avenue, goes down that road back to the tower, then down to Estival Avenue back to South Boulevard, then up to the end of the route at the shuttle stop by Route 13."

Ash chuckled, "That's a pretty long route."

Clemont nodded. "And they managed to get all the major streets this year too."

"So it looks like we'll be at our favourite spot this year," Meyer said.

Something about the route stood out in Ash's mind. "Say, Clemont."

"Yeah?"

"The roads were closed when we came in from Dendemille Town, but the route doesn't go there."

"Pi pika pi." Pikachu seemed curious about this as well.

Meyer spoke up, "Whenever the Krewe of Kalos holds its parade, every street in Lumiose City is closed off, regardless of if a given street is on the route or not. It's mainly due to the amount of people that show up. Literally thousands of people come to see the parade every year." That was definitely a lot. "Many of them typically either crowd out the central plaza and the non-route roads. Cleanup after the parade ends is usually a nightmare and a half, so the roads stay closed until everything's been cleared."

That made sense. Time to switch gears a bit. "So when does the parade start?"

"Well," Clemont spoke, "from where the route starts, it'll be about 5 PM once it starts moving, and if we're going to be on Autumnal Avenue, it won't reach us until about 8 or later. It's a lot of standing and waiting, but it's worth it in the end."

"Great!" Ash laughed. "I'm sure it'll be an awesome time!"

Nurse Joy arrived at the table with three trays of Pokéballs. "Your Pokémon are all good to go!"

"Thanks, Nurse Jo-- whoa!" Ash exclaimed as he noticed a startling difference with the Pokémon nurse. Her hair wasn't the usual pinkish red it should be, but was instead streaked with purple, yellow, and green. "You dyed your hair?"

Nurse Joy giggled. "It's temporary, so it'll wash out later. I really love Mardi Gras. It's my favourite time of the year next to Christmas! Take care and have fun tonight!"

"Thanks!" Ash could tell this was going to be a really good time.

\----------

It was now 5 PM. The spot in question on Autumnal Avenue was about a third of the way down the road from North Boulevard, and they'd been standing at that spot for about two hours by then. Ash could see why it was perfect. It was crowded, sure, but not overly crowded. A nearby parked car was blaring music that numerous revelers decided to dance to in the middle of the street. What a unique experience. If it was this cool just waiting for the parade to arrive, he was sure it would be even better in the thick of it.

Everyone's Pokémon were out and playing around along with Bonnie while Meyer kept an eye on them. Serena and Clemont were sharing a bag of cotton candy and talking about something he couldn't make out over the loud music. God only knows what they were discussing. Just thinking about it, he was happy for them. Sure, the two of them getting together was a bit out of left field, but they meshed well. Not to mention Bonnie no longer embarrassed Clemont by asking girls to marry him. It's a bit awkward to do that when he's already seeing someone.

Time passed slowly. Eventually, his thoughts drifted to Misty. God, he missed her so much. She would enjoy something like this. At least, he hoped. Besides, if he could bring her to Kalos right this second to enjoy a little time away from the Cerulean Gym, he would do it in a heartbeat.

"--rade's coming!"

"Huh?" Since when did it get insanely dark outside?

"Earth to Ash!" Bonnie yelled, trying to pull the trainer up. "The parade's almost here! Come on!"

Ash had gotten so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise just how much time had gone by. Officer Jenny, along with a fire engine, drove along the route, trying to clear the street to make way for the parade. Grinning, he got to his feet and joined the others. He was not going to miss such an experience as the Krewe of Kalos parade.

Within a few short moments, the opening parade banner passed by, with the first floats close behind. The music being blasted from the floats was almost deafening. He couldn't believe the amount of beads being thrown to the crowd. Though he supposed that there had to be a lot for such a large route in a city like Lumiose. All around him, people were catching whatever was thrown their way. Even the Pokémon were catching beads, namely Braixen. Her branch was coming in very handy.

"Pika pi!"

Ash turned his head to his longtime partner, noticing Pikachu had caught a couple of beads with its tail. "Having fun, buddy?" he laughed.

"Pikachu!" the electric mouse chirped.

The parade continued to roll by, extravagant float by extravagant float. The group soon made it a little competition to see who could catch the most. So far, Bonnie was smoking them all. Their Pokémon then had a competition of their own, with the lead being tied between Braixen and Chespin. A teddy bear was tossed towards Clemont, who handed it to Serena to blushing results and a sudden kiss. Dedenne managed to catch a cup -- or, more like it landed on it. In between some floats, there were dance groups, sponsor trucks, and even a couple of marching bands. Ash wasn't sure when the last time he had this much fun was. Then again, he has fun every day. This was just on a whole different level of fun.

About an hour into the parade, everyone had so far caught a considerable amount of stuff. Mostly beads, but there were also cups, stuffed toys, even glow sticks. Ash couldn't wait to tell his friends and family back home about this. And if the parade is as long as Clemont said, the parade wasn't going to end for another couple of hours. Just more time to catch more beads and enjoy himself.

\----------

All good things must come to an end, and the same applied to the Krewe of Kalos parade. The final float rolled by, followed closely by a couple of police cars to signal the end of the parade. The crowd cheered for a moment, then slowly began to disperse. Ash laughed heartily. "That was awesome, you guys! Thanks for telling us about this, Clemont."

Clemont, who had been holding Serena up on his shoulders for about half an hour, laughed as well as he set her back down, his shoulders incredibly sore. Not to say his girlfriend was heavy, but he wasn't the most physically built person on the planet. "No problem, Ash!"

"My neck is going to get stiff at this rate," Serena giggled. Having been on Clemont's shoulders near the end of the parade, she managed to catch up to Bonnie with the amount of beads she caught, plus a feather boa.

"So is mine," Bonnie whimpered, the clear victor of their friendly competition, though it was certainly taking its toll on her.

Meyer revved up his ATV. "Want me to give you all a ride back to the Pokémon Center?"

The group thought about it for a moment. As sore as they were, they felt up to making the walk. "We'll walk, Dad," Clemont announced. "Ash would be missing out on a big part of the tradition otherwise."

Chuckling, Meyer responded, "Alright then. I'll meet you over there. Be careful!"

The four young trainers waved after him as he rode down the emptying street. "Well, better get a move on," Ash said, still hyped from all of the excitement.

"Agreed!"

"Let's go!"

"Woohoo!"

Ash and his friends began to make their way back to the North Pokémon Center. It was going to be a long walk, but he wouldn't have it any other way. And it was all complete with an unforgettable experience to share back home.

Of course, amongst all the fun that was being had, one thing was never far from his mind: Ash's seventh Kalos gym badge challenge at the Anistar City Gym. More new experiences await him and his friends as the journey continues!

**Author's Note:**

> The Krewes of Centaur, Gemini, and Highland are all parading krewes that operate in this area. I thought I'd give them a nice name drop since their parades are awesome [and I got to go to the Gemini parade this past Saturday!]
> 
> And yes, walking from where you're standing at the parade route to wherever it is you're going when it's over is something I deal with every time I go to a parade. It's what happens when you're forced to park a considerable distance away from the route, but it's well worth it [even though my legs were killing me at the end of the day :'D]


End file.
